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Women in Public Service Project Class Fall, 2014

The Course, Project, Patron and Program

The Course

…is called “Empowering Women for Global Leadership” and it premiered at Berea College in the spring of 2014. It is a special topics course in the Women’s and Gender Studies, Peace and Social Justice and Political Science programs. This is the only course in the Women’s and Gender Studies curriculum that requires students to apply for a seat. Why?

Thanks to our benefactor, Peggy Keon, students in the course will come into contact with powerful women whose lives make a difference on a global scale. The purpose of this course is to equip students with both skills and a knowledge base for pursuing leadership opportunities at both the local and national levels of their respective countries.

The Project

The Women in Public Service Project, which was founded by Secretary Hillary Clinton in partnership with the U.S. Department of State and the Seven Sisters Colleges — Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Smith, and Wellesley — has grown to include Scripps, Mills, Mount St. Mary’s Colleges, City College of New York, and a public university consortium spearheaded by University of Massachusetts, Lowell. Since its founding the WPSP has expanded globally to affiliate with over 36 universities and 35 government entities including ministries, agencies, and embassies and multilateral agencies for the purpose of advancing women to positions of influence in governments and civic organization worldwide. Read about the mission and vision of the Women In Public Service Project here and in the “Related Links” beneath the left navigation pane.

The Patron

Margaret “Peggy” Lumpkin Keon is the benefactor of the Women in Public Service Project at Berea College. She is the former President of Keon Associates — a career consultation service, former board member of the College of Marin Foundation, and former Overseer for Wellesley Centers for Women at Wellesley College. She was also a founding board member of the Global AIDS Interfaith Alliance (GAIA). » Read more

The Program

"We at Berea College are honored that the Women's and Gender Studies Program is offering the flagship course for the Women in Public Service Project. This exciting new endeavor reflects the College's Great Commitments to gender equity and service to others."
-Berea College First Lady,
Laurie Roelofs